The invention relates to a first user device and to a system having the first user device.
In the automotive field in particular, navigation aids are playing an increasingly important role in motor vehicles. For this purpose, a first user device, for example, can be installed in the vehicle in a fixed manner, and an optical output device, also installed in the vehicle in a fixed manner, can be assigned to it. Such user devices are regularly configured for the purpose of processing digital map information for display on the optical output device, and for controlling the optical output device accordingly. Aside from the digital map information, travel routes from a starting point to a destination, for example, and/or the current location of the vehicle, are also displayed on the optical output device. Such first user devices and corresponding output devices, and, if applicable, also input devices that also are particularly fixed in place in the vehicle, regularly demonstrate particularly great operating convenience and also an optically advantageous display of the information on the basis of optical output devices specifically set up for the vehicle environment. For example, clearly larger displays in comparison with portable navigation devices are frequently present here.
However, it is a challenge to keep the map data of the navigation device disposed in the vehicle in a fixed manner, on the basis of which navigation, route search or guidance to a destination are carried out. It is known to update the map data by means of an exchange of a corresponding replacement memory, such as a map data DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), for example. This is relatively complicated for the customer and for the vendor, not case-related, and generally takes place within the scope of relatively few versions per year and therefore at relatively large time intervals.
The task on which the invention is based is to create a first user device and a system having the first user device, which device or system allows reliable and/or current provision of navigation information by means of the first user device.
This task is accomplished by means of the characteristics of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims.
The invention is characterized, according to a first aspect, by means of a first user device having a first communication interface and a second communication interface. The first user device has digital first map information and is configured for outputting a request message for making navigation information available with regard to at least one desired route section, at the first communication interface. The second communication interface is configured for receiving navigation information that is made available in response to the request message, at the second communication interface, and comprises digital second map information for at least a part of the at least one desired route section. The digital second map information comprises data for display of the at least one part of the at least one desired route section. The first user device is configured for determining digitally updated map information as a function of the digital second map information of the navigation information and of the first digital map information, and for selecting an optical output device for display of the digital updated map information.
It is advantageous that if the first digital map information does not comprise the at least one route section or comprises it incorrectly, for example because a specific geographical region is not digitalized, is not updated and/or has not been described with sufficient accuracy, the navigation information for this route section can be requested, for example, from a central facility. The requested navigation information can then be made available to the first user device indirectly, by way of a second user device. The first and the second communication interface of the first user device are preferably configured as bidirectional interfaces, in each instance. The navigation information can be used for completion of a route display of the first user device. In this manner, for one thing, the route display that can be recognized by a user of the first user device can be made available in reliable and/or current manner. Furthermore, in this manner, a navigation function can be reliably made available even in complex destination regions, for example in shopping malls and airports; these are generally not included in the first digital map information stored in the first user device.
In addition, functionality of the second user device can be utilized to adapt the navigation information, for example to a current position of the first user device and/or of a vehicle. The first user device can be disposed in the vehicle in a fixed manner. Furthermore, the functionality of the second user device can be utilized to supplement the navigation information with further information. The navigation information can be supplemented with graphic elements and/or text information elements and/or content information elements for display and/or operation visualization element present in the first user device. Making the requested navigation information for the first user device available indirectly has the advantage that the additional functionality of the second user device can be utilized, and thereby the additional functionality can be made available even after installation of the first user device.
It is particularly advantageous that the first digital map information present in the first user device can be utilized, and the second digital map information of the navigation information can be embedded into it, and thereby the digital updated map information can be determined very easily. This makes it possible that only small amounts of data need to be transmitted, in each instance, particularly from the central device to the second user device.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the first aspect, the first user device is configured for determining the digital updated map information in such a manner that the second digital map information of the navigation information is displayed on the optical output device, superimposed on the first digital map information. This embedding by means of screen superimposition, also referred to as ground overlay or map overlay, allows flexible and simple optical display of the first and the second map information.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the first aspect, the digital second map information comprises data for display of planned travel routes and/or of travel maneuver comments along the desired route section and/or of the current position of the first user device relative to the desired route section and/or of traffic comments. Advantageously, this makes it possible to make this further information available easily and to display it by means of the optical output device.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the first aspect, the navigation information comprises map detail information and one or more graphic elements. Furthermore, the first user device is configured for embedding the graphic element(s) that is/are made available into the digital updated map information, for display of the map detail predetermined by the map detail information, and for selecting the optical output device for display of the predetermined map detail in response to the map detail information. This allows easy, flexible display of the graphic elements. This can allow an additional display of current position information in the map display on the optical output device, for example, without the second digital map information having to be updated, in each instance. It is particularly advantageous that the digital updated map information present in the first user device can be utilized, and only the additional graphic elements are embedded.
According to a second aspect, the invention is characterized by a system that has a first user device according to the first aspect, a central computer device, and a second user device. The central computer device has a communication interface that is configured for receiving the request message made available at the first communication interface of the first user device. The central computer device is configured for making central navigation information available at the communication interface, for transmission to the second user device, in response to the received request message. The central navigation information comprises the digital second map information for the at least one part of the at least one route section. The second user device comprises a third communication interface and a fourth communication interface. The third communication interface is configured for making the received central navigation information available to the second user device. The second user device is configured for making the navigation information available at the fourth communication interface, for transmission to the first user device, where the navigation information comprises the digital second map information for the at least one part of the at least one route section.
In this manner, advantageous embodiments of the first aspect apply also for the second aspect. It is advantageous that this allows making the requested navigation information available in a reliable and/or current and/or simple manner. Furthermore, this allows display of the navigation information, supported by the functionality of the second user device, in such a manner that the navigation information can be perceived in a simple manner by an observer of the optical output device.
According to a third aspect, the invention is characterized by a system that has a central computer device and a second user device. The central computer device has a communication interface that is configured for receiving the request message made available at the first communication interface of the first user device, and making available central navigation information at the communication interface, for transmission to the second user device, in response to the received request message, wherein the central navigation information comprises basic map information for the at least one part of the at least one route section. The second user device comprises a third communication interface and a fourth communication interface. The third communication interface is configured for making the received central navigation information available to the second user device. The second user device is configured for determining the digital second map information of the navigation information as a function of the basic map information, and for making the navigation information available at the fourth communication interface, for transmission to the first user device.
In this manner, advantageous embodiments of the first aspect also apply for the third aspect.
It is advantageous that this allows making the requested navigation information available in a reliable and/or current and/or efficient manner. Furthermore, this allows display of the navigation information, supported by the functionality of the second user device, in such a manner that the navigation information can be perceived in a simple manner by an observer of the optical output device.
The second user device is particularly configured as a mobile device, and can be a smartphone, for example. The second user device can comprise a running time environment, for example a mobile operating system or a browser. The third and the fourth interface of the second user device are preferably configured as a bidirectional interface, in each instance. The second user device can be equipped with suitable computing capacity, for example, in a simple manner, which capacity is required for any computing operations that might have to be performed in advance of making the navigation information available. Furthermore, it can be easily updated with regard to its software, for example, and is thereby easily adaptable.
In an advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the fourth communication interface of the second user device is configured for making received operating information that is made available by the first user device at the second communication interface available to the second user device. In this manner, the second user device can utilize operating information that is otherwise only available in the first user device, for example, such as information about the precise position of the vehicle, the travel speed, the gas tank level, and the like, for example, in order to determine the navigation information. Furthermore, the operating information can comprise user input information, and the navigation information can be adapted to the user input information.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the second user device is configured for determining the digital second map information as a function of the operating information.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the operating information comprises geographic coordinates recorded for the current position of the first user device. This makes it possible to make the digital second map information, with the desired route section, available as a function of a local relationship of the first user device, for example to send the navigation information with the digital map information to the first user device only once the current position of the first user device has a distance from the at least one desired route section that is less than a predetermined distance.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the second user device is configured for determining a most probable position of the first user device with reference to the basic map information and/or with reference to the digital second map information as a function of the geographic coordinates recorded for the current position of the first user device.
It is particularly advantageous if the basic map information or the digital second map information is utilized for such map adaptation, also called map matching, because this is preferably more current and contains fewer errors than the digital first map information. If the geographic coordinates measured using a positioning method are directly shown in the coordinate system of a digital map, then the true position of the object on the map can deviate from the imaged position of the object on the map, for example due to measurement errors during the positioning method and/or due to inaccuracies of the map. The recorded position can be balanced out using information about the location and geometries of objects of the basic map information and/or of the digital second map information, so that the most probable position of the object can be determined with reference to the basic map information or with reference to the digital second map information, respectively.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the second user device is configured for determining the second digital map information as a function of the most probable position of the first user device, as determined.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the second and third aspect, the second user device is configured for determining the map detail information and the assigned graphic elements of the navigation information as a function of the central navigation information and/or of the operating information.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail below, using the schematic drawings. These show:
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.